Chapter 41: This Time, You’ve Truly Become a Piece of Scum

The training ground hung heavy with tension. Kasa blocked Scar-faced warrior Ster outside the arena. Inside, I stood alone against two mages—Ster of the Seventh Moon Phase and Cui of the Ninth Sun Phase.

I watched my Fireburst dissipate against a barrier from a magic scroll. Gripping my staff overhead, I drew a circle. "Wind Encirclement!" Wind elements gathered with a screeching friction. A spinning ring of blades formed and shot forward under my mental guidance.

"Good kid! I underestimated you!" Cui retreated, pulling a common staff from his Spatial Ring. "Unmoving as a Mountain!"

Ninth Sun Peak lived up to its name. He cast an intermediate earth defense spell without chanting. Cui’s skin turned ashen gray, like stone.

Wind Encirclement struck instantly. Cui raised his right arm to block. Simultaneously, he began chanting: "O fire elements drifting in heaven and earth, heed my plea! Let scorching flames rage, let spreading fires dance, let explosions roar—Fireburst Charge!"

Blazing flames glowed white-hot, roaring with a hair-raising sound as they charged. No escape—I had the Silver Scale Guard and Princess behind me. I had to take this hit.

"Die, peasant! Taste my Thunder Dragon Roar!" Ster on the right finished his spell and blasted it at me. Typical—focusing on this quasi-saint level mage, I’d forgotten that scum.

"What are you doing? Let me go! I need to save Klath!" The Princess struggled toward the arena, but the Silver Scale Guard held her back.

"Kasa! Don’t make a mistake. You’ll face Lord Ster’s wrath!" The short man beside Scar-face spoke menacingly.

"Hmph! You’re the ones mistaken. Daring to attack ‘Him’’s disciple here? Do you think ‘He’ has no temper? Or do you have other plans?"

Time to stop hiding my strength. I adjusted my grip, grabbing the staff’s end. Pouring mental energy, I activated the ‘Redirect’ Magic Array I’d engraved earlier.

Magic release has three stages. Could the middle stage—movement—be rewritten? I’d engraved it but never tested. Now, it was do or die. If it failed, I’d summon my Elemental Armor.

I swung my staff, striking Cui’s fire spell. Flames twisted violently under the blow. My face paled—the mental drain was immense.

"Get lost!" I batted Fireburst Charge toward Thunder Dragon Roar. The spells collided with a deafening boom. Shockwaves surged, knocking Ster off his feet. Riding the wind, I flew toward Cui and swung Inferno Cerberus at his head.

Cui was a prodigy, reaching quasi-saint level in his thirties. But a mage swinging a staff like a warrior stunned him. Instinctively, he raised his staff to block.

Crack! His common staff snapped. Thud! Mine smashed into his face, knocking him flat.

"Bastard! You lowly peasant! How dare you hurt me? I’ll call my father—" Ster scrambled up, pointing his staff and shouting.

"Villains die from talking too much!" I planted my feet, left hand outstretched. "Reverse—Unmoving as a Mountain!" Earth elements surged, engulfing Ster in dirt and sand. Clenching my fist: "Sand Burial!"

Crack, crack—bone-breaking sounds accompanied Ster’s screams from the giant dirt ball.

"Young master! I’ll fight you!" A mage without a staff is toothless. I kicked away Cui as he lunged. But he rolled to the dirt ball and grabbed Ster’s dropped staff.

"Damn!" I dashed forward with cloud-step speed, ready to strike again.

"Bastard! I’ll reduce you and this rotten village to ashes!" Cui pulled a magic crystal radiating terrifying energy from his Spatial Ring. Raising his staff, he channeled magic into it. The crystal’s fluctuations grew unstable, dangerously so.

"Damn it! No time!" I gathered most of my mental energy into a beam and slammed it into Cui’s forehead. Mental speed outpaced all else. The blast hit instantly. Cui screamed horribly and collapsed unconscious.

The crystal’s fluctuations ceased. I slumped to the ground. The Princess pushed through the crowd and rushed to me.

"You idiot! Why provoke Cui? You won—wasn’t that enough? You fool!"

"Cough! What? As your darling, crippling your fiancé is perfectly reasonable~"

"Pah! You’re not my type!"

"Sigh~ So hurt! Help me up—I have business to handle." I struggled to stand, Komor supporting me. Staggering behind Kasa, I sneered at the short man and Scar-face: "Well, gentlemen? What now?"

"You! I’ll kill you!" Scar-face raised his axe.

"Stand down, Ster!" The short man shouted, stopping him. He turned to me: "No complaints. Young Ster was outmatched. Cui interfered in the duel. You were right to kill them."

"You can eat carelessly, but not speak carelessly. I didn’t kill anyone." I glanced back. The dirt ball cracked open, revealing a blood-soaked Ster collapsing limply.

"See? Still alive. The other one too, though he’s a vegetable now." I tilted my head at the short man. "Pity you didn’t join. I’m disappointed."

"...Impressive skills, sir."

"Too kind. I’ve always had a habit: any rabid dog that bares its teeth at me gets its legs broken."

"May I take them back?"

"Whatever. I don’t collect scum or idiots. Get lost! Remember, in Crescent Town, you keep your tails tucked in."

The two slunk away, supporting the unconscious pair toward the inn.

"Let them go like that? Their purpose here isn’t simple!" Kasa said reluctantly.

"Sigh~ Striking openly is unwise. That short man feels too dangerous—can’t act rashly. Besides, I’m out of energy~" I shamelessly tried to lean on Komor. But Kasa hoisted me onto his back: "Big brother, you’ve worked hard. Let me carry you."

"Damn it! You scheming bastard, stealing my happiness!" I wailed.

"Heh, young master Klath, my duty is to keep dangerous people from Her Highness."

"Have you seen a noodle-like dangerous person? You’re just targeting me!"

"Speaking of noodle-like," the Princess suddenly spoke, "I think Ster looks more like one. What did you do to him?"

"Nothing much. Powdered fractures all over. Now his scum title is well-deserved."

At the inn, Scar-face and the short man stood by the bed, staring at unrecognizable Ster and drooling, white-eyed Cui. They fell silent.

"My lord, what now?" Scar-face broke the quiet.

"Sigh~ Didn’t expect this twist. Young Ster crippled, Cui with his bright future ruined. How to face the Crown Prince? Even old Ster will be hard to handle."

"I’m more worried about Mister Bai’s plan being affected."

"Hmm, you’re right. Only Mister Bai can save us now. Fetch his communicator. I’ll report immediately."

Leaving that aside, Kasa carried me to the manor gate.

"I’ll leave you here. Go in." He set me down and turned to leave.

"Can’t let go of the past? Come with me! You can find redemption!" I shouted at his back.

Kasa paused briefly, then hurried toward town.

"What are you talking about?" The Princess looked baffled.

"Nothing. Men’s business—women shouldn’t pry! Help me in."

"Hmph, figure it out yourself, Mr. Man!"

"Hey! Really leaving? I solved your big trouble—I’m your benefactor! Not even offering yourself in marriage or letting me bury my face in your chest, at least help me in?!"

Her Highness quickened her pace.

"So inhuman! Fine, I’m not that interested in lily flowers’ chests anyway. Only you’ll keep me company, Dragon Princess." I took out the Crystal Dragon Horn. "Rare free time—chat with me, will you?"

"Huh? I’m not your maid. Why must I chat?"

"Because I know Ripple Dash!"

"You can’t treat me like this! I’m a Creator, after all. Once—"

"Ah~ Now you’re just good for chatting sweet nothings. Don’t dwell on the past—look forward." I casually shook the horn.

"Stop shaking! I’ll chat! What do you want? I have magic knowledge, combat skills, ancient treasures..."

"Who cares about that? I want life goals! What’s under girls’ skirts! Chicken or egg first! What did the pangolin say! Stuff like that!"

"...Or just shake me to death instead!"